we're trying to decide what to do over Christmas/New Year, and thought about a trip (starting from San Diego) to Arizona and New Mexico. We're looking for mild temperatures, dry weather (neither rain nor snow), sunny and blue skies. Would we find what we are looking for in Arizona and/or New Mexico? Where would you go (RV parks, camping sites, no off-roading/boondocking).

Christmas Eve in Santa Fe is magical. Walk around the Canyon Road, Camino Del Monte Sol, Acequia Madre, Garcia Street area for the farolitos* and luminarias**.

You can probably camp at Hyde Park which is nearby and part of the state park system.

* Farolitos are brown lunch sacks filled partway with sand and containing a votive candle. They sound pedestrian but put off a beautiful golden glow. NM ingenuity at its finest. At many houses, they line the street, adobe garden walls, and the house itself.

** Luminarias are small Posada vigil bonfires, usually set between the adobe garden walls and the street.

we're trying to decide what to do over Christmas/New Year, and thought about a trip (starting from San Diego) to Arizona and New Mexico. We're looking for mild temperatures, dry weather (neither rain nor snow), sunny and blue skies. Would we find what we are looking for in Arizona and/or New Mexico? Where would you go (RV parks, camping sites, no off-roading/boondocking).

Thanks for your time,

Kind regards, Peter

With any luck (for those of us who look forward to winter), anything north of I-40 won't work. Quite possibly anything north of US60 won't work either. We'll have sunny & blue skies but hopefully in between snowstorms. However, velo47 is right about Santa Fe esp. if there's snow.

I-10 will take you through warmish country and the seasonal forecast is for above avg temps (and moisture). In NM, consider Oliver Lee State Park south of Alamogordo. History + Chihuahuan desert scenery. Bosque del Apache NWR south of Socorro can be very cold but the birding is spectacular in winter and there is a small RV park just north of the reserve. There are also parks in Socorro. City of Rocks SP south of Silver City is interesting and has camping. There are several state parks along the Rio Grande south of Caballo Lake that might work for you. Gila Cliff Dwellings north of Silver City.

Not knowing what mild temps means to you, you can probably expect freezing or near freezing night time temps throughout NM. We gave up tent camping after a cold night in October near Glenwood Springs in SW NM. Precip depends on whether a good El Niņo weather pattern sets up.

Lake Havasu City, and anywhere along the Colorado River is usually nice that time of year. I've been going to Death Valley during the holidays 4 out of the last 7 years, the lower elevations of the Mojave desert are usually nice... wait, what the? you're in San Diego? Why not just stay home and enjoy the weather? LOL!